Jason
by theimortalone
Summary: A autistic child is the target of doctor and his experimental drug.


Jason.  
  
This is my tribute to autistic people everywhere, which I am one of them. This is to tell everybody that we   
don't have a disease. We aren't sick and we don't want to be 'cured'.  
  
Prologue  
  
A couple is walking slowly down the street holding hands. They stop occasionally to kiss.  
  
"I can't believe it's been a month since we first started dating." The woman says.  
  
"It seems like it's been longer." The man says.  
  
They approach her house.  
  
"Would you like to come in for some coffee?" The woman asks.  
  
"Really? You have never asked me that before." The man asks surprised.  
  
"I think it's time for you to meet my son." The woman responds.  
  
"I love kids. I would love to meet the boy that you created." The man smiles.  
  
They enter the house and the woman turns on the lights.  
  
"I'm home Jason." The woman says.  
  
She looks around and finds him. She motions for the man to come over with her. In a corner a young man   
is sitting on the floor and rocking back and forth. He says nothing but makes some noises sometimes.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
SCIENCE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. BUT WHAT RIGHT DO WE HAVE   
TO SAY WHAT IS BETTER?  
  
"What is he doing?" The man asks confused.  
  
"He's very low functioning autistic. He was diagnosed only a year ago. Before that we thought he had   
severe mental retardation." The woman responds.  
  
"I have heard of autistic people but I have never met one." The man says.  
  
"Well I would then like to introduce Jason." The woman says smiling.  
  
The man kneels down and says, "Hello Jason."  
  
Jason only answers by stopping his rocking for a second then starts up again.  
  
"He has never said a word his whole life. At first they thought he was deaf or mute but he started making   
noises and he could react to noise just fine." The woman says.  
  
"Has he had any schooling?" The man asks.  
  
"No. We tried to put him into preschool but it didn't work out. On top of the kids making fun of him, he   
couldn't function or learn anything." The woman responds.  
  
"Does he ever do anything other than rock back and forth." The man asks.  
  
"Only when he sleeps." The woman responds.  
  
"I have heard that there has been some experimental drugs developed to reduce autism. Has any been tried   
on him?" The man asks.  
  
"Yeah but they have had no affect. The doctors are baffled since the drug has worked a bit on other test   
subjects. They think he's too far into the low functioning spectrum for the drug to do anything." The   
woman responds.  
  
They sit down and have some coffee.  
  
"I am so glad for the fact that you have come into my life." The man says.  
  
"Oh John." The woman says blushing.  
  
After awhile he gets up.  
  
"I have to get home. I wish I could stay longer though." John says.  
  
They walk out the door and kiss outside.  
  
"Oh Mary. In the short time we have been together, I have felt happier than any time before in my life."   
John says.  
  
John gets down on his knees.  
  
"Oh my." Mary gasps.  
  
John takes her hand in his own.  
  
"Will you marry me. Will you grant me the pleasure of spending the rest of my life with you?" John says.  
  
"Oh my god John. You just found out about Jason. Are you sure you can handle living with him?" Mary   
asks.  
  
"Of course. I will go through anything to be with you." John says.  
  
"I'll have to think about it." Mary says.  
  
"Okay I can accept that. We have the rest of our lives." John says smiling as he gets to his feet.  
  
They kiss for a long time and reluctantly pull away. John walks away and Mary stands for a few minutes   
on the patio wondering. She finally enters the house and walks over to Jason.  
  
"Oh Jason. He asked me to marry him." Mary says.  
  
Suddenly Jason stops rocking and starts making a weird noise like yelling and flails around his limbs.  
  
"Oh god Jason. It will be okay, I promise." Mary says holding Jason.  
  
Jason seems to calm down in his mother's arms. She sits like that for Jason for about an hour before she   
puts him to bed. She lays down herself but doesn't get to sleep for hours. The next day Mary goes to meet   
John again having thought all night about his proposal. They embrace and kiss again.  
  
"I have thought of your proposal. I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to marry you ever. It's just that   
Jason doesn't take changes very easily. I told him that you asked me to marry you and he went crazy last   
night.  
  
"You make it sound like you never want to marry me." John says disappointed.  
  
"No. It's just that Jason has to get used to you being with me first of all." Mary says.  
  
"We've been going out for a month." John says.  
  
"Yeah but he never saw you until last night. I'm sorry." Mary responds.  
  
"What if I had something to make the transition for Jason easier. Among other things?" John asks.  
  
"More drugs? No. Those don't work." Mary says shaking her head.  
  
"Not the kind of drugs that are on the market. A new experimental drug. But the first results look very   
promising." John says.  
  
"You're crazy. You expect me to allow you to use my son as a guinea pig?" Mary says shocked.  
  
"What if the drug decreases the affects of his autism. Makes it so he can learn in school and function on his   
own?" John says.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's just not worth the risk." Mary says shaking her head.  
  
"Okay. I'm sorry I brought it up. I don't want to upset you." John says holding Mary tightly.  
  
"I'm sorry too. It's just partially that I have gotten my hopes up before that a drug would be the answer just   
to have my hopes shattered." Mary says.  
  
"Do you want to go home and relax?" John asks.  
  
"Yeah that would be great." Mary says.   
  
They return to the house and find Jason rocking back and forth in front of the TV that Mary left on before   
she left. When he sees John Jason starts to go into a fit again. Mary rushes to his side and comforts him.  
  
"I'm sorry. For some reason he is reacting badly to you. Maybe you should leave for now." Mary says.  
  
"Can I at least get him something to drink?" John asks.  
  
"Okay. I'm sorry about this. I don't know why he didn't act this way to you last night." Mary says.  
  
John goes to the refrigerator and takes out some milk. He pours a glass of milk and then looks around to   
see if Mary is looking. When he sees she isn't he crumples up a pill into the milk.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Later on that day Mary leaves Jason with his tutor. As always the tutor puts down a piece of paper and a   
pencil but Jason never touches either one. John and Mary have a late lunch together.   
  
"Did Jason calm down after I left?" John asks.  
  
"Yeah. I still am confused as to why he reacted to you that badly. It may have a connection to me telling   
him that you proposed to me." Mary responds.  
  
"I thought he was in his own world all the time. Why would he be aware of things in the real world?" John   
asks.  
  
"He is slightly aware. Everything in this world is amplified and he's extremely sensitive to this world.   
Sometimes my touch feels uncomfortable to him. Usually my touch isn't as bad as a strangers touch."   
Mary responds.  
  
"I sometimes wonder what his own world is like. Can he do anything in that world? Can he talk, do stuff,   
learn?" Mary wonders.  
  
"Would you like to see a movie with me?" John asks.  
  
"I would have to ask the tutor if she would mind staying a bit longer. If that's okay then I'd love to." Mary   
says.  
  
She walks off and heads for a payphone. Suddenly John's cell phone rings and he answers it.  
  
"Masters." John announces.  
  
"I told you not to call me now. You might have called when she was here." John says with a frown on his   
face.  
  
His frown deepens.  
  
"No she isn't here but she will be soon." John says.  
  
He reacts to something said on the phone.  
  
"Yes I have given the subject the first dosage of the drug. It's been too soon to have any results. I will tell   
you when I get them." John says.  
  
Mary returns to the chair.  
  
"Yeah just invest in that company. That would be fine." John says smiling again and then hangs up.  
  
Mary looks at him wondering.  
  
"Just my brokers calling me." John says smiling.  
  
"Well the tutor says it's fine but she has to leave by six. So let's make sure we don't see a movie that ends   
too late." Mary says.  
  
They get up and head for the movie.  
  
"I heard the movie Charlie was a good one." John says.  
  
"Yeah it's a remake of a movie I never saw." Mary says.  
  
"I think you will enjoy it." John says smiling.  
  
During the movie, Mary thinks about Charlie and him become more functioning after drugs. It makes her   
think about John's proposal and how it may help Jason. But she also thinks twice when they get to the part   
where Charlie reverts to his old self. They leave the theater and walk home slowly.  
  
"That really made me think. Do you think your drug could really help Jason?" Mary asks.  
  
"Yes I think so. My drug is different from the others. It doesn't try to suppress the autism. It enhances the   
parts that are suppressed by the autism." John responds.  
  
"How long would it take to get results?" Mary asks.  
  
"I'm not sure. It could have very small results in a matter of days. The total autism being gone would   
probably take a very long time though." John says.  
  
Mary thinks about her son and how hard his life has been.  
  
"Okay do it. Do whatever it takes." Mary says nearly crying.  
  
"You won't be disappointed. I promise." John says soothingly.  
  
They return home and find the tutor all excited and yelling.  
  
"Oh my god. It's a miracle. Come in and see. I never thought he'd do it." The tutor yells.  
  
Mary rushes inside and finds Jason rocking back in forth in front of his usual piece of paper but this time   
there is a picture on it.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Mary picks up the picture shakily.  
  
"You're saying Jason drew this?" Mary asks.  
  
"Yes. I didn't see him draw it. I went to the bathroom and when I returned he was rocking like usual but   
the picture was sitting in front of him." The tutor responds excitedly.  
  
Mary looks at it confused.  
  
"What is this picture supposed to be?" Mary asks.  
  
"It looks like he drew himself inside a bubble. But the bubble is broken and chaotic looking." John says.  
  
"What does the bubble represent?" Mary asks.  
  
"I think it represents his own world that he spends his time in. The picture could represent that his world is   
being torn apart." The tutor responds.  
  
Mary looks uneasily at John.  
  
"More evidence that for some reason he doesn't like John in his life." Mary says.  
  
"But the fact that he drew. Something he has never done in his life." The tutor says.  
  
"Perhaps he needed to tell me something so desperately that he forced himself to do it." Mary says.  
  
John is thinking something else.  
  
"If you still want to try the drug than you can bring him to my lab anytime and we can start the treatment."   
John says.  
  
"Oh no. The trip would be too stressful for him. I tried to have him walk with me to the corner store and   
he wouldn't make it very far from the front door." The tutor says.  
  
"Why do you think I have lived her since he was born?" Mary asks.  
  
"Well I can bring part of my lab here. Long enough until the drugs have enough of an effect that he can   
survive travel to my main lab. I will need him there eventually for a full array of tests." John says.  
  
Jason starts to wail and rock even more violently.  
  
"He's been through a lot today. I think I should leave." The tutor says.  
  
"I think maybe you should leave also John." Mary says.  
  
"Okay. How's tomorrow for the first injection." John asks.  
  
"That sounds good." Mary says nodding.  
  
The tutor leaves and Mary escorts John outside and gives him a goodbye kiss. They separate as always   
wishing they could kiss longer. Jason won't let Mary take him to bed at the regular time so she sits in the   
dark waiting for Jason to be ready. Finally he is ready, two hours later than usual. The next morning Mary   
is woken up by loud noises coming from Jason's room. She rushes in and finds Jason flailing around with   
his eyes closed.  
  
"He must be having a nightmare." Mary says.   
  
She sits down at the end of the bed and gently strokes Jason's hair until he wakes up.  
  
"Shh shh. It's okay. Mommy's here now." Mary says.  
  
Jason looks at her and settles down.  
  
"What is wrong? Is the thought of John being in my life creating chaos?" Mary says.  
  
Jason turns his head to the side facing the wall. Meanwhile John is at the laboratory.  
  
"Look we have told you time and time again. If you can't test your drug and show some real results, we   
will cut the funding." A man says angrily to John.  
  
"And I have told you that I have a test subject. The mother has now agreed to do the testing." John says.  
  
"Am I hearing you right. Did you start the testing without the mother's consent?" The man asks.  
  
"Just one dose." John responds.  
  
The man shakes his head.  
  
"You have gone too far. If anybody found out about that you could get in serious trouble." The man says.  
  
"Nobody will find out. He showed some improvement today but it was just attributed to my being with his   
mom pulling apart his world." John says.  
  
"You better pray nobody finds out." The man says angrily then storms out of the office.  
  
John pulls out his phone and calls up Mary.  
  
"Are you ready? Can I come over now with the first injection?" John asks.  
  
"I am as ready as I have ever been." Mary responds over the phone.  
  
John hangs up smiling and gets the second injection from his lab and puts it in his bag. He heads on over to   
Mary's house and enters it.  
  
"Okay. It's gonna have to be an injection." John says taking out a needle.  
  
At the sight of the needle Jason goes wild.  
  
"Oh he hates needles. Isn't there any other way?" Mary asks.  
  
John nods and takes out a test tube of a powdery substance. He pours another cup of milk and puts the   
powder in it.  
  
"Here. You give it to him since he probably trusts you more." John says handing the glass to Mary.  
  
Mary nods and helps Jason drink down the milk. After he drinks it, Jason goes back into his rocking   
routine.  
  
"His tutor will be here soon. Want to go out for lunch?" Mary asks.  
  
"I would love to." John says smiling.   
  
They wait for the tutor and then leave.  
  
"So you don't think there will be any big results for awhile?" Mary asks.  
  
"Maybe some small ones. But they would probably be so small that it would be hard to detect." John says.  
  
"I hope it helps a lot in the long run." Mary says.  
  
"Me too. It could mean a whole new era in the study of autism." John says.  
  
Mary looks up at John sheepishly.  
  
"I have thought about your other proposal. I would love to marry you." Mary says.  
  
"But what about Jason and his adjusting? The drug may not help that soon enough." John asks.  
  
"I know he will adjust. I will help him in any way I can." Mary says smiling.  
  
They hold hands and kiss long and passionately. After awhile they return to Mary's place and spend some   
time while the tutor finishes up.  
  
"Has he done any more drawings?" Mary asks the tutor.  
  
"No. I put a piece of paper in front of him but he doesn't touch it." The tutor responds.  
  
"Perhaps he told you what he needed to tell you." John says.  
  
Later on after the tutor and John leave, Mary is cleaning up the dishes and brings them into the dining room   
to put in the cupboards. Jason is sitting there rocking back and forth.  
  
"Oh. Did you come to see mommy put away the dishes or did you want to spend time together." Mary   
asks.  
  
"Time…together." Jason forces out.  
  
The dishes crash to the floor and break as Mary loses her grip in shock.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Mary rushes to the phone after she gets out of her shock and calls John.  
  
"Oh my god. It's incredible." Mary yells into the phone.  
  
"Hold on. Slow down. Now tell me what has happened?" John asks.  
  
"He spoke. He said something." Mary says shakily.  
  
"What? I mean I thought the drug would work but not this quickly. Is he saying anything else?" John asks.  
  
"No. He hasn't said anything since that one time." Mary responds.  
  
"Well it's too late right now. I will be over in the morning. Note anything else he says." John says.  
  
Mary nods and hangs up. She goes over to Jason and holds him.  
  
"Oh my baby. What is happening to you?" Mary asks.  
  
Jason stands up and walks over to his picture and points to it.  
  
"Too….much." Jason says pointing to the picture and then to himself.  
  
"What do you mean?" Mary says still in shock.  
  
"Want….home." Jason says.  
  
"You are home." Mary says.  
  
Jason nods and points to his picture.  
  
"Home." Jason says.  
  
He kneels down and starts rocking back and forth again. He doesn't say anything more the rest of the   
night. Mary sits down with him and holds him until he falls asleep and she carries him to his bed and tucks   
him in.  
  
"Oh my poor baby. I wish I knew what you wanted." Mary says.  
  
She sits at the edge of his bed for hours before she gets tired and goes to bed herself. The next day John   
arrives.  
  
"He said a couple of other things. About wanting to go home and saying that the picture is his home."   
Mary says.  
  
"It could mean he still thinks of his world he was in before as his home." John says.  
  
"I really would like to try to get him to my lab. He has progressed farther than I could even imagined in   
such a short amount of time." John says.  
  
"Okay. I will try but the first sign of major distress and we go back." Mary says.  
  
John agrees. Mary goes over to Jason and gently helps him to his feet.  
  
"We are gonna go see some people that can help you." Mary says gently.  
  
"Help…Jason." Jason says.  
  
John is startled to hear Jason for the first time.  
  
They slowly lead Jason to the car and put him inside. He doesn't react much except for to rock back and   
forth in the back seat.  
  
"He is still using his old method of reacting to things he can't quite handle. But at least he isn't reacting   
violently any more." John says getting into the driver seat.  
  
The car pulls away and after a short while arrives at the lab. They gently and slowly walk Jason into the   
main lab and start to walk towards the part with a bunch of people. Jason starts to react badly.  
  
"There's too many people there. Is there somewhere he can go that would have as little people as   
possible?" Mary asks.  
  
"I have just the place." John says then leads them into a small lab room.  
  
They sit Jason in a nice comfortable chair and leave him in the room.  
  
"Okay. I won't run many tests just yet. From what you tell me, I think the feeling of the testing devices   
would hurt him." John says.  
  
Mary nods and waits while John prepares another test tube full of the drug and puts it in a glass of milk.   
They feed it to Jason who still drinks it, though reluctantly for some reason.  
  
"I really would like to get a blood sample from him. Is there anyway you can help him through a shot?"   
John asks.  
  
"Yeah he has had blood drawn before." Mary responds.  
  
John takes a needle with a long tube connected to it and walks towards Jason. Initially Jason starts to   
squirm.  
  
"No….hurt…Jason." Jason says.  
  
Mary goes over and comforts Jason. She strokes his hair and talks softly to him until the needle goes in.   
Jason starts yelling a bit but quiet downs after a few seconds when the needle pulls itself out.  
  
"I am gonna run this through the system. I want to check on the affects of the drug on his blood system."   
John says.  
  
Mary nods. John leaves the room. Mary starts looking around and notices a file cabinet. She opens it up   
and looks in it for interest. She notices a file with a date that was on the same day that Jason first did his   
drawing. She takes it out and looks through it. Her curiosity turns to rage when she sees it's about results   
from the first injection. She puts the file away with a big slam and another file falls out. It has Jason's   
name on it and it dated to before she met John. Inside is data about her and Jason and plans to get close to   
the subject's mother.   
  
"What are you doing?" John says from behind her.  
  
Mary swings around with anger in her eyes.  
  
"You bastard. You injected him when I said you couldn't. Didn't you?" Mary yells.  
  
"Uh." John stumbles.  
  
"And don't even try to lie. It's all in this file. You don't love me at all do you? You just got close to me   
so you could use my son as a guinea pig." Mary yells.  
  
"It started out that way but I really started to have feelings for you. I do love you." John says.  
  
"Shut up. You violated my son when you used experimental drugs on him without my consent." Mary   
yells.  
  
"Sir. The tests show that his blood is rejecting the drug. If it keeps up then he will revert to his old self."   
The scientist says.  
  
John starts to prepare another sample of the drug and walks towards Jason.  
  
"Don't you dare touch my son. You have done enough damage." Mary says blocking his way.  
  
John nods to the scientist who grabs Mary and holds her. He approaches Jason and prepares to inject him.  
  
"NO!" Jason screams and knocks John down. He then takes off.  
  
"Get him." John yells.  
  
They take off and so does Mary. They arrive at the main entrance.  
  
"I'm sorry sir. He rushed by so fast that I didn't have enough time to identity him and subdue him." The   
security man says.  
  
They all run outside to look for Jason but see nothing.  
  
Prologue.  
  
"Jason? Jason where are you?" Mary yells as they all run around trying to find him.  
  
"He may have completely reverted now. He may not be able to answer." John says.  
  
"Get away from me. I don't want anything to do with you or your research." Mary says pushing John   
away.  
  
They hear a strange moaning coming from a small cave and they enter it. They find Jason rocking back   
and forth.  
  
"Oh Jason." Mary says.  
  
Jason stops rocking and allows his mother to put her arms around him. She notices a picture on the floor.  
  
"Another picture? He must have drew it when he came here." Mary says.  
  
"No he couldn't of. He would have been too far gone." John says.  
  
On the picture is the same one before but the bubble world around Jason is complete and unbroken once   
more.  
  
EVERYTHING IN NATURE HAS A PUROSE. WHAT PRICE WILL WE PAY IF WE START TO   
MESS WITH THAT PURPOSE?  
  
The end.  
  
  



End file.
